Ultrasonic Solutions for Carb Cleaning

[ChrisMinelli]

Hello,

 

A search of this forum yielded some thoughts on using ultrasonic cleaners for carb cleaning / rebuilding.  They are all 8+ years old so I thought I’d ask if there are any updated techniques or products out there.  
 

I’m tearing down my carb and it is gunked bad.  I am thinking of getting a Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner and using a 50/50 Pine Sol and distilled water solution in it.  
 

Does anyone have experience with that or a different solution?  Should I just do it the “old fashioned” way and get a gallon of mineral spirits?

 

(I don’t think I want to try to carb dips — nobody seems to have a good opinion of them). 
 

Thanks!

[Plymouthy Adams]

be sure to degas your water/solution or else you will not get proper cavitation....

[Sniper]

I used one with Simple Green and water to clean the carb in my 51.  It worked fine, but none of my passageways were gummed up.  Tried to do the same with the carb on my lawnmower that was gummed up and no dice.  By gummed up I mean varnish had plugged passageway(s).

 

I documented my carb rebuild int eh following link, you can see the before and after appearance.

 

http://www.yourolddad.com/carb-rebuild

 

 

[ChrisMinelli]

9 minutes ago, Sniper said:

I used one with Simple Green and water to clean the carb in my 51.  It worked fine, but none of my passageways were gummed up.  Tried to do the same with the carb on my lawnmower that was gummed up and no dice.  By gummed up I mean varnish had plugged passageway(s).

 

I documented my carb rebuild int eh following link, you can see the before and after appearance.

 

http://www.yourolddad.com/carb-rebuild

 

 

The regular simple green or the simple green d?  I have heard mixed reviews of the regular simple green. 

[Sniper]

simple green d is a disinfectant version, I believe.  I just used plain old Simple Green. 

[Art Bailey]

I'm really glad this topic came up today. I have two Carter BBs, one that was on the engine of my '47 Desoto, and the other that was probably original to the car, that I found in the trunk. The trunk carb was encrusted in about 1/8 inch of road crud and God knows what, the throat was so cruddy I couldn't even close the choke completely. I thought for sure the one on the car would be the good one, it looked clean on the outside, but it had a couple of rusted and broken springs, a questionable float, so I pulled out the other one. It looked so rough, I thought for sure I'd be lucky to just get some decent parts out of it. Then, I remembered this thread from this morning, and realized that I actually had a small ultrasonic cleaner somewhere in my junk. 50/50 mix of Simple Green and Water, couple of hours in the machine, and the carb looks amazing. Every part that came off of it looks like new. Except the damn float retainer spring, which is broken on both, and set me back about 15 damn dollars. Sniper, the tutorial on your website was a great help.

 

A good trick I learned somewhere is to put the tiny bits in a glass, fill the glass with solution, and put the glass suspended in the basket, surrounded with solution. The ultrasonic waves will do their thing to the solution inside the glass. I don't know if all ultrasonic cleaners have a heater unit, but getting the solution up to about 185 F probably helps, too.

 

-Art

Edited December 28, 2020 by ratbailey

[Pete]

Here's what I got. It's a bit pricey, but the way I've been using it, it's a lifetime supply. It works great in my ultrasonic cleaner:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012GQOBM8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Pete

 

[Booger]

On 12/26/2020 at 8:04 PM, Sniper said:

I used one with Simple Green and water to clean the carb in my 51.  It worked fine, but none of my passageways were gummed up.  Tried to do the same with the carb on my lawnmower that was gummed up and no dice.  By gummed up I mean varnish had plugged passageway(s).

 

I documented my carb rebuild int eh following link, you can see the before and after appearance.

 

http://www.yourolddad.com/carb-rebuild

 

 

Nice photos and ez to follow. Thanks!